Fuding Shou Mei White Tea Cake 2009

The production process of white tea is simple, without rolling or Sha Qing, only naturally withered and dried, so a large number of nutrients in the tea leaves are retained. With the natural aging process, the internal substances and aroma of white tea are slowly changing, so there is also a saying that "one-year tea, three-year medicine, and seven-year treasure." This TeaVivre's aged white tea cake is selected tea leaves from 2009 with one bud and two leaves. The years of aging have made this white tea more fragrant, and the taste is more mellow and richer.

After been aged for ten years, this white tea cake already has the flavor of aged white tea. The aroma of its dry leaves is main jujube and Chen Xiang. At the beginning of the entrance, we can feel the full-bodied liquid, which is soft, smooth, mellow and sweet. From the dry leaves to the tea liquid, all give off a pleasant tea fragrance. After a few steeps, the jujube and medicinal scent gradually fade, instead by a flower and fruity aroma as well as a woody scent. Overall, the taste of this aged Shou Mei cake is very comfortable. You will feel its rich substances by sipping a little liquid, which is very surprising. The rich fragrance will linger in the tea pitcher and tea cup even they cool down.

In addition, aged white tea is rich in pectin, and is very infusion-enduring. So when the flavors fade, we can further boil the tea leaves, so that the inner substances of the tea leaves can completely released. Compared with the way of brewing, the boiled aged Shou Mei are rich in flavor, taste full and smooth, which makes us fully feel its great charm.

	Cup Method		Chinese Gongfu Method
	Teacup: 12oz / 355ml		Gaiwan: 3.8oz / 110ml
	203℉ / 95℃		203℉ / 95℃
	5g Tea		5g Tea
	Brewing time: 5 - 8 mins		10 steeps: rinse, 30s, 45s, 60s, 80s, 100s, 120s, 150s, 200s, 250s, 300s
			Rinse time is around 5 seconds

Chaitou Shan Tea Garden is located in Fuding, the hometown of white tea. The plantation here is always surrounded by fog, creating the perfect conditions for the tea bushes to accumulate a rich array of microminerals and organic nutrients. The soil is red and yellow in color, signifying that it is rich in organic material. The tea plants growing here are mainly of the Fuding Dabaihao variety.

This Shou Mei cake is produced in Fuding, a famous tea production area located in the northeast of Fujian Province. This area experiences a subtropical monsoon climate, characteristic of coastal areas, with about 1840 total hours of sunshine through the year, and an annual average temperature of 18.5C and rainfall of 1661.6mm.

This Shou Mei white tea cake is made from the leaves of the Fuding Dabaihao plant, also called Dahao for short. It propagates asexually and takes the form of a small tree.

In 1985 it was certified as a national tea plant variety, and can grow up to 2.8m high with a thick trunk. The spring tea from this bush contains 1.8% amino acids and 28.2% tea polyphenols, marking it as a high-quality base for making white tea.

Tea has been grown in Fujian for centuries, as it has always been important for commercial purposes and trade in ancient China. Originally the process of drying the leaves was followed by a meticulous variation of hot-air drying and sun drying, in order to remove excess water from the leaves; these methods eased the preservation process and helped the tea to sell. The leaves of this naturally-dried tea seemed to appear like the Shouxing’s, the longest-living man in mythology, long curved eyebrow (眉毛, meimao). As a result, people named this tea Shou Mei.